Inflatable medical cuff



May 26, 1970 G. HIRSCH INFLATABLE MEDICAL CUFF 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 5, 1967 I I I ll 1.

INVENTOR. 65066 ///,5C//

A 7 Ta /V5145 May 26, 1970 G. HIRSCH INFLATABLE MEDICAL CUFF 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 5, 1967 INVENTOR. 65026 M25677 May 26, 1970 a. HIRSCH INFLATABLE MEDICAL CUFF 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 5, 1967 INVENTOR 660 66 H/ZSCH ,47'7'0Z/VEV5 u w 'IIII will United vStates Patent O 3,513,831 INFLATABLE MEDICAL CUFF Georg Hirsch, 3616 Corinth Ave.,

Los Angeles, Calif. 90066 Filed July 5, 1967, Ser. No. 651,183 Int. Cl. A61b /02 US. Cl. 1282.05 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The device is an improved inflatable blood pressure cuff made of light, thin, inexpensive plastic materials. It comprises a plastic strip that can be wrapped around the arm. On the inside of the plastic strip are one or two thin walled plastic inflatable bags which are flat when not inflated. At least one edge of the bag or bags are attached to the plastic strip to provide a semi-floating arrangement for the inflatable member. Attached transversely to the plastic strip at two points is a tube means having communication with the bag or bags. When on the arm, end parts of the plastic strip overlap. In one form, the cuff may be held taut by pulling the free end of the plastic strip through a transverse loop across the strip so that it is held thereby when the bag or bags are inflated. In another form, the end of the plastic strip may be passed between the tube means and the strip between the two points of attachment of the tube means to the strip, and the plastic strip may have spaced transverse slits through which the wrapped end of the strip may pass so that the end part is in a position between the strip and the inflatable bag. In another simplified form of the invention, the cuff is made of sticky or tacky plastic so that it may be held in position simply by being wrapped on itself.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention is an improved inflatable blood pressure cuff adapted for use with a medical sphygmomanometer or oscillotonometer. A sphygmomanometer is a device for measuring blood pressure. An oscillotonometer is a device combining the functions of both an oseillometer and pulsometer in a single instrument. The oscillotonometer requires two separate pressure sensors. That is, this instrument requires a pressure cuff having two separate sensitive inflatable pressure bags. The cuff of this invention is therefore adapted for use with this instrument or with instruments requiring only one inflatable bag.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide an improved inflatable cuff which may be of a type provided with either one or two inflatable bags and designed to meet the need for certain basic improvements in this field as set forth hereinafter. Briefly, the inflatable cuff in a preferred form is constructed of light, thin, flexible plastic materials, such as for example, polyethylene or polyvinyl. The plastic strip wraps around the arm and one or two inflatable bags made of thin walled plastic material are provided on the inside of the plastic strip, the bag or bags having at least one edge portion free, that is, unattached to the plastic strip, to provide a semi-floating relationship. A flexible plastic tube is attached transversely across the strip and has communication with the inflatable bag or bags. The inflation of the bags is achieved through the plastic tubing which has communication with the bags. The cuff may be held taut in various ways. The end of it, that is, the free end flap, may pass between the flexible tube and the plastic strip between the points of attachment. Or on the other hand, the plastic strip may have a transverse loop and the end of the strip passed under it. Or one the other hand the plastic strip may have transverse slits through which the end of the strip passes so that it is in a position between the main part of the strip 3,513,831 v Patented May 26, 1970 and the bag or bags to provide for holding when the bag or bags are inflated. Or in a further embodiment the plastic strip is made of a sticky or tacky plastic so that it will hold taut when wrapped on a limb simply by adhesion between layers (wrappings) of the strip.

The bags of the cuff when used with an oscillotonometer connect to the aneroid semi-capsules of the instrument.

The invention is particularly adapted or suitable for use with newborn and small infants, for whom, previously no pressure cuffs have been available.

In the light of the foregoing another object of the invention is to provide an inflatable cuff having certain basic characteristics, principally that it is inexpensive, but sensitive and effective for its purpose, this result being realized in part by the semi-floating relationship of the inflatable bag or bags. The realization of other objectives includes that the cuff may be made small and light for use with babies. It is clean and sanitary and easily put on and removed thus overcoming the objection of conventionally known cloth cuffs having rubber bags therein which give rise to problems when changed from patient to patient, particularly as to sanitation. A further object realized by the invention is that it is held in place when put on very effectively. The cuff is light and very inexpensive and realizes the objective of being a disposable cuff.

Further objects and additional advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a preferred form of this in vention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an end view of the cuff;

FIG. 5 is a perspective View of the cuff;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a modified form of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a partial sectional view taken along the lines 77 of FIG. '6;

FIG. 8 is a partial sectional view taken along the line 88 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along the line 99 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 10 is an end view of the cuff of this form of the invention;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the modified form of the cuff;

FIG. 12 is a plan view of another form of the invention;

FIG. 13 is a sectional view taken along the line 1313 of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a sectional view taken along the line 14-14 of FIG. 12;

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the form of the invention of FIGS. 12 to 14 illustrating it in the configuration it has when on an arm.

Referring now in more detail to FIGS. 1 to 5 of the drawings, showing a preferred form of the cuff, numeral 10 designates a strip of thin flexible plastic material which may be polyethylene or polyvinyl or a similar material. Preferably one end is slightly wider, as designated at 12, with laterally extending intermediate portions 14 and 15. The cuff of this form of the invention is of a type adapted to be made small and light and therefore particularly suitable for use on infants. On the lower side of the wider part 12 of the strip are attached two elongated flexible bags. These bags are designated at 16 and 18. They are preferably made of a material similar to that of the strip 10 but of thinner gauge to 'be lighter and more flexible.

The inner edges of these bags overlap at the area designated 22 in FIG. 1, these inner edges being straight and not attached to the strip or end flap 1-2. Otherwise the edge configuration of these bags conforms to the outline of the left hand part of the strip 10 including the projections 14 and 15. Other than at the overlapping edges, the edges of these bags are attached to the strip 10, such as by heat sealing, the sealed area being designated by the broken line 24. Preferably a bead is formed around the periphery of strip 10 by heat sealing.

Attached transversely across the strip 10 is a flexible tube made of plastic or of a comparable material and designated at 30. This tube has fittings 33 and 35 at its ends providing for connections to instruments of the type referred to in the foregoing for making blood pressure measurements. The tube 30 is attached to the strip 10 at two points which are the points at which communication is provided between the tube and the bags 16 and 18. One of these points of attachment is shown in detail in FIG. 3. An orifice is provided in the tube registering with an orifice in the strip 10 and an orifice in the bag 18, and the materials of the bag, the strip 10 and the tube 30 are sealed together around the orifices providing a channel of communication as designated at 32 in FIG. 3. The other point of attachment and channel of communication is designated at 34. Within the tube 30 between the points of attachment and communication is a plug 38 so that the tube 30 is in two parts, one of which communicates with one of the bags 16 and the other communicates with the other bag 18. The area of overlap is indicated by the broken lines in FIG. 1.

The wider end part 12 of the strip 10 has a transverse plastic loop as designated at 42. FIGS. 4 and 5 show the relative configuration of the cuff when in position on an arm. The end part of the strip 10 may he slipped through the loop 42 which is opposite a part of both of the bags 16 and 18. Accordingl when the bags are inflated by being exposed to pressure as is done when tests are being made, the pressure therein securely holds the end part of the strip 10 under the loop 42 so that the cuff is secure. It will be observed that by reason of the bags 16 and 18 having a free unattached edge they have a semi-floating relationship with respect to each other and to the strip 10 whereby the sensitivity of the device is improved. The materials, as will be recognized, are light, thin and inexpensive, and the bags are flat when not inflated so that the device as a whole is thin rather than being thick and is very compact and not at all cumbersome or unwieldly.

FIGS. 6 to 11 illustrate a modified form of the invention having a single inflatable bag, although more than one bag might also be provided in this form of the invention. This form of the invention is one suited for being manufactured in larger sizes and thereby adapted for use with adults. In FIGS. 6 to 11 numeral designates a flat plastic strip similar to the corresponding stri of the previous embodiment. One part of the strip as designated at 52 is broader, as shown. Numeral 54 designates a plastic bag which is flat when not inflated similar to the bags 16 and 18 of the previous embodiment. This bag is of substantially the same size as the broader part 52 of the strip. The bag 54 may be formed simply from plastic material as described, folded on itself and then heat sealed along its matching edges. The bag 54 is attached or secured to the broader part 52 of the strip by heat sealing on three edges as designated, for example, by the broken line 56 and leaving folded edge 58 of the bag unattached to the broader part 52 of the strip 50. This relationship is shown in FIG. 9. Thus the bag 54 has a semi-floating relationship.

Attached to the broader part 52 is the flexible plastic tube 60 similar to that of the previous embodiment. It is similarly attached to the broader part 52 of the strip 50 and the bag 54 at two points, one of which is illustrated in cross section in FIG. 8 providing a channel of communication as designated at 62. The tube 60 communi- 4 cates with the bag 54 at two points. Preferably between these points there are provided stiffening means in the tube which preferably may take the form of three metal rods as designated at 66 in FIG. 7 which do not fully occupy the space inside of the tube 60 so that there is communication of pressure around these rods.

The broader part 52 of the strip 50 has two spaced transverse slits in it as designated at 70 and 72. FIGS. 10 and 11 show substantially the configuration of this form of the invention when in position on an arm. The narrow end of the strip 50 is slipped under the tube 60 between it and the broader part 52 of the strip 50, and between the points of attachment of tube 60 as may be seen in FIG. 11. The end of the strip 50 is then slipped through the slot 70 to pass between the broader part 52 of the strip and the bag 54, the end of the strip then passing through the slot 72 as illustrated in FIG. 10. Thus a part of the strip 50 is between the tube 60 and the strip part 52, and a substantial area of it is between broader part 52 of the strip and the bag 54. When the bag 54 is infiated by the application of pressure, the pressure will hold the part of the strip 50 which is between the inflated bag and the broader part 52 of the plastic strip.

FIGS. 12 to 15 show a modified form of the cuff which may be conveniently and readily manufactured from plastic material utilizing a die in which heat sealing is effected by a high frequency process. The cuff is designated generally at in FIG. 12. It comprises a strip of relatively thin flexible plastic having an extending wrap around part 102 at one end and a slightly broader portion 104 at the other end. It has two inflatable bags as designated at 106 and 107 like those of the first embodiment herein. The bags overlap at their inner edges by an amount indicated by the broken line 108. The plastic material of the strip is of a particular type which is sticky or tacky to a limited extent which is suflicient to hold the cuff in position when the strip is wrapped on itself as shown in FIG. 15. That is, the layers of plastic adhere to each other, the tackiness not being sufficient to be otherwise objectionable. The edges of the bags 106 and 107 other than the free floating overlapping edges are heat sealed to the periphery of the part 104 of the plastic strip and across the inner end at 112.

Numerals 114 and 118 designate plastic tubes joined to the cuff and communicating with the respective bags 106 and 107. The bags 106 and 107 are preferably formed by simply folding thin gauge plastic material on itself, the folds being at the overlapping edges of the bags. The outer parts of the overlapped bags, when the cuff is being manufactured, include portions as shown at 120 and 122 overlying the positions of the plastic tubes 114 and 118. It should be understood that after the heat sealing has been done around the periphery of the cuff as described, material is cut away by means of a knife around the periphery, outside of the heat sealed seams, which provides a bead as shown at 126 along the edges of the strip and of course at the edges where the bags are sealed to the strip. The plastic tubes 114 and 118 in the process of manufacture have their ends inserted into the end parts of the overlapping bags as shown and the ends of the tubes are then heat sealed or welded into position in the areas indicated in FIG. 12. The overlapping of the inner edges of the bags is illustrated in FIG. 13. FIG. 15 shows the general configuration of the cuff when it is wrapped around or secured on a limb. The strip 102 is long enough to wrap around and overlap other parts of the cuff. The material being sticky or tacky plastic as described, the overlapping portions adhere together with suflicient force to hold the cuff snugly in position. Plastic of this type is readily available commercially and is inexpensive and ideally suited to this purpose.

From the foregoing those skilled in the art will understand the nature and construction of the invention, and the manner in which it accomplishes and realizes the objects and advantages set forth in the foregoing as well as the many additional advantages that are apparent from the detailed description.

The foregoing disclosure is representative of preferred forms of the invention and is to be interpreted in an illustrative rather than a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. An inflatable medical cuff comprising a strip of plastic material of more than suflicient length to be wrapped around an arm, an inflatable bag means made of thin walled plastic material and flat when not inflated, and attached to one side edge of said plastic strip'along the length of the strip, a tube means attached to said strip and having communication with the interior of'said plastic bag means, said plastic strip being sufficiently long to provide substantial overlapping of end parts thereof when it is wrapped around an arm with the inflatable bag means adjacent to the arm, and holding means providing interengagement between such overlapped parts of the strip whereby when the said bag means is inflated the cuff is held taut on the arm.

2. A cuff as in claim 1 wherein the inflatable bag means is unattached to the plastic strip along one side edge, at least, of the bag means extending lengthwise of the strip to provide a semi-floating relationship. I

3. A cuff as in claim 1 comprising a second inflatable bag means, said bag means having overlapping'edge portions and said tube means having spaced points of com munication with both of said bag means.

4. A cuff as in claim 3 wherein the second bag means is secured to the plastic strip along a side edge portion and the overlapping edge portions are inner edge portions.

5. A cuff as in claim 3 wherein said tube means has a closure plug in it between the points of communication between the tube means and the inflatable baggrneans.

6. A cuff as in claim 1 wherein said holding means comprises a transverse 100p member extending across said strip and adapted to have an end part of the strip pass between the loop and the surface of the strip.

7. A cuff as in claim 1 wherein said holding means comprises spaced transverse slits formed in said strip adjacent said inflatable bag means whereby the end part of said strip can be passed through the slits to be in a position between the strip and inflatable bag means.

8. A cuff as in claim 1 wherein said holding means comprises parts of said strip, at least, being made of plastic material having a sticky surface so that when wrapped on itself the adhesion holds the cuff taut.

9. 0n inflatable medical cutf comprising a strip of plastic material of more than suflicient length to be wrapped around an arm, an inflatable bag made of thin plastic material and flat when not inflated, and attached to one side of said plastic strip along at least one edge portion of the plastic bag, a flexible tube attached to said strip and having communication with the interior of said plastic bag, said plastic strip being sufliciently long to provide substantial overlapping of end parts thereof when it is wrapped around an arm with the inflatable bag adjacent to the arm, holding means providing interengagement between overlapped parts of the strip whereby when the said bag is inflated the cuff is held taut on the arm, said holding means comprising said flexible tube being attached to said plastic strip at transvesely spaced points, providing means whereby an end part of thestrip can be inserted between the part of the tube between the spaced pointsof attachment and the plastic strip.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,269,620 6/ 1918 Levine 128-2.05 X 1,288,130 12/1918 Nagelman 128--2.05 2,352,874 7/ 1944 Williams et al 128-2.05 2,405,265 8/ 1946 McAlpine 128-2.05 X 2,452,799 11/ 1948 Speaker et al. 2,758,593 8/ 1956 Berman a. 128-205 2,826,191 3/1958 Burns 128-205 2,981,251 4/1961 Berman 128-2.05

FOREIGN PATENTS 756,704 9/1933 France. 657,845 9/ 1951 Great Britain.

DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner 

